Excitement at the Temple Gate^{Text Version}
by Linda Edwards

Michael was grumpy. He had the cast on his leg for five weeks already. This was r-e-a-l-l-y boring! He couldn't run races with the other boys. He couldn't play ball. He couldn't ride his bicycle. He couldn't do anything but sit and watch while everybody else had fun. He would be SO glad to get this awful cast off and get back to normal.

Only one more week to go....

Finally the big day came. Michael's parents helped him into the car. They were on their way to see the doctor to have the cast removed. Michael was so excited to get that big heavy thing off of his leg. He was so anxious to climb the big tree again.

Just as the doctor removed the last piece of the cast, Michael jumped up with glee. He bounced around the room like a hopping kangaroo. Finally he would be able to run and play and have fun with all the other boys again. It seemed like the very best day of his whole life!

Peter and John were the best of friends. They walked around town together. They ate meals together. They went fishing together. Wherever they were, you can be sure they were side by side. So it should come as no surprise that when it was time for prayer, they went to the temple together.

As Peter and John were walking toward the gate of the temple to go inside, they saw a man sitting right beside the gate. As they moved closer they noticed that the man was crippled. He could not walk.

Now this was not the first time the crippled man sat there. His friends brought him to the temple every single day so he could ask people for money. Since he couldn't get a job or work, he was hoping the kind people who were going into the temple to worship God would see him and have compassion on him and give him money so he would be able to have food and other necessary things.

The man saw Peter and John and as usual, he asked for money. "Please, do you have some money you could give me? I really, really need money. Don't you even have a nickel?"

Well, our friends, Peter and John, looked down at the man, and they felt sorry for him, and wished they had some money they could give him, but...they DIDN'T. They told the man, "Look at us!" The man looked up in eagerness, expecting to be given money. He had no idea what an unusual day THIS was going to be!

Imagine his dismay when Peter and John said, "We don't have any money!"

Imagine his surprise when they said, "We want to give you something better than money!"

He thought about that. He was quite confused. After all, what could be BETTER than money?

Then he heard Peter say something very strange. "In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!"

"Walk? Who? ME? They expect me to WALK? I have NEVER walked! I was never able to learn to walk! From the time I was a wee child, I have always wanted to walk. Now they are telling me to just get up and walk. How can THAT be? Can it really happen? Will I really be able to walk? Hmmm.... Should I try? Or should I ignore them and just sit here?" All these thoughts flew through the man's mind in just a few seconds.

Before he even knew what was happening, Peter reached down, took him by the right hand, and lifted him up. IMMEDIATELY his feet and anklebones received strength. He couldn't believe what was happening! His feet were actually HOLDING HIM UP! He JUMPED up, he STOOD up, and he WALKED around. He went into the temple for the first time in his life. This was SO exciting! He was WALKING and JUMPING for the first time in his life. He was PRAISING God because of the amazing thing that had just happened to him.

All the people saw him WALKING and JUMPING and PRAISING God. They knew it was the man that had been crippled that had sat outside the gate of the temple for many years begging for money. They recognized him and they were full of surprise and wonder at what had happened to him. How could such a thing BE?

The people started running toward Peter and John. They thought Peter and John had done a great miracle and they wanted them to do MORE miracles.

Peter immediately started preaching to the crowd. "STOP! STOP!" he yelled. "Why are you so surprised about this? Why are you looking at us? WE did not perform this miracle. WE did not make this man able to walk! Are you surprised that God can do this? GOD did the miracle! Give GOD all the praise for His wonderful work!"

THINK!

What could be better than money?
Who healed the crippled man?

A VERSE TO LEARN

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above..." (James 1:17).

LET'S PRAY

****************************************************
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and
caring for each one of us. Help us to remember
that the best gifts always come from You. Thank
You for sending Jesus to be our Savior.
That is the very best gift of all.
In Jesus' name. Amen.
****************************************************

CAN YOU FIND THIS STORY IN THE BIBLE?
Acts 3:1-12

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TEACHER'S RESOURCES

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Copyright © 2006 by Linda Edwards.

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Last updated December 18, 2006.